
rj>issl? //^OQ 



Book 




iahtN° 11 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 



THE FUTURE 

OF THE 

CHURCHES 



9 



Copyright 1914 

BY 

Roger W, Babsok 



V 



The Future 

of the 

Churches 



Historic and 
Economic Fadts 



BY 

ROGER W. BABSON 

President of the Babson Statistical Organization, 
Wellesley Hills Station, Boston, U.S.A. 



Based on the address delivered before the Tiventieth Century 

Club, December 13, 1913 and at the Old South 

Church, Boston, January 18, 1914 



AMERICAN EDITION 

BOSTON 

BABSON'S STATISTICAL ORGANIZATION 

(Incorporated) 
1914 






Dedicated 

to 

Walter Rauschenbusch 

Professor of Church History in Rochester 

Theological Seminary 

and 

George W. Coleman 

Founder of the Ford Hall Meetings 



JUL ~6 I9f4 

©C1,A376565 



Contents 

^ 

THE FIRST SECTION 

Page 

Preface 7 

The Future of the Churches . 11 

Christ's Methods 

What History Teaches 

Why the Church is Weak To-day 

What the Church WUl Preach 

THE SECOND SECTION 

Another Point of View . . 39 

The Question of To-day 
What Moses Taught 
A Question 
Charities 

THE THIRD SECTION 

A Possibility . . . .69 

One Suggestion 
Conclusion 

Appendix (Outline of Church 
History) 



Preface 



/^WING to the inherited differences of 
^^ opinions relative to churches and re- 
ligions, among people who are logical, or 
at least consistent, upon almost every 
other subject, I have tried to suppress here 
my personal views. 

Thus in revising these addresses, I have 
tried to avoid making this little book a 
preachment of any sort; but to confine 
these pages to a forecast, based solely upon 
historical analysis, assuming that what has 
happened in the past will — under similar 
conditions — be repeated in the future. 

R. W. B. 

Wellesley HiUs, June 1, 1914. 



The 
First 
Section 




The Future 

of the Churches 

study of history shows 
clearly that churches 
have prospered when they 
have given a motive for man 
to be religious. 

The basis of political econ- 
omy, that " all natural actions 
of man are for the purpose 
either of avoiding pain or gain- 
ing happiness," apparently 
underlies the growth of the 
world's great religions. In 
fact, according to the econo- 
mists, all civilization has been 
constructed on these two natu- 

11 



/ 



v 



ral desires. Governments, 
industries and individuals have 
succeeded or fallen as they 
have or have not utilized this 
fundamental law of human 
nature. 

Of course, some will at once 
take exceptions to this state- 
ment and insist that such is 
not in accordance with the 
teachings of Christ; but here 
again the economist would 
retort by claiming that the 
distinction which we make 
between "selfishness" and "un- 
selfishness" really involves an 
analysis of the words "happi- 
ness" and "unhappiness." 
Some persons attempt to se* 
cure happiness by acquiring, 
and others attempt to secure 
happiness by serving; while 
what is considered happiness 

13 



by one is unhappiness for an- 
other. Hence the claim that 
even Christ did not ignore this 
fundamental law of human 
nature, but instead strove to 
show people how to be truly 
happy and how to avoid real 
unhappiness. 

Christ's Methods 

Although Christ taught that 
we should be willing to lose 
our lives, yet he usually added 
"that we may save them." 
Christ preached that we must 
die **to live/' and should give 
up temporal things for some- 
thing much more worth-while. 
This is very clearly brought 
out in his Sermon on the 
Mount and in many parables. 
In fact, if we forget the ideas 

13 



^ « 



of our childhood and study the 
New Testament to-day with 
this thought in mind, it appears 
fairly probable that Christ 
clearly recognized that man's 
basic nature is to seek pleasure 
and to avoid pain, and used 
this as a foundation for his 
teachings. Likewise, to a lim- 
ited extent, this same theory 
is apparently the foundation 
of the other most successful 
religious teachers of history. 

Christ capitalized this in- 
herent desire when he said, 
"Come unto me all ye that 
labor and are heavy laden." 
Why ? *'And I will give you rest ** 
Take my yoke upon you." 
Why ? **For my yoke is easy and 
my burden is light. " When study- 
ing the first four books of the 
New Testament, this is most 

14 



evident; namely, that Christ 
continually based his teachings 
on this inherent desire of man 
to obtain pleasure and to avoid 
pain. On the other hand, he 
showed the people that real 
pleasure consisteth not in the 
things of the world, the lust of 
the flesh and such pleasures as 
the Gentiles sought. In his 
discussion of pain, he told the 
people to "fear not them which 
kill the body, but are not able /^ 
to kill the soul ; but rather fear 
him which is able to kill both 
soul and body." In the same 
chapter (Matthew 10) we find 
the words: "He that findeth 
his life shall lose it, and he that 
loseth his life for my sake shall 
find it." 

Later, in the nineteenth 
chapter of Matthew, we find 

15 



the words: "Every one that 
hath forsaken houses, or 
brethren, or sisters, or father, 
or mother, or wife, or children, 
or lands for my name's sake 
shall receive an hundredfold, 
and shall inherit everlasting 
life;" and then he concludes 
by saying that "the last shall 
be first and the first shall be 
last." 

Turn to any discourse by 
Jesus Christ— claims the soci- 
ologist—and he will be found 
always to have given his hear- 
ers a practical reason for con- 
forming to the laws of God. 
He held up before them a 
punishment of " everlasting 
death" if they did not live 
right and a reward in the form 
of " real life " if they did live 
right. 

16 



Moreover, when turning to 
the Old Testament and study- 
ing the teachings of the patri- 
archs and prophets, from 
Abraham to Malachi, we also 
apparently find this inherent 
desire in man capitalized to an 
infinitely greater degree. 
There was little preaching that 
the Israelites should do right 
for right's sake, but rather that 
they should avoid being anni- 
hilated from the face of the 
earth ! 

What History Teaches 

But let us turn to more 
recent history. Since the 
founding of the Christian 
Church, the same law certainly 
is apparent. (The rule has been //^ 
that when churches have held 

17 



j/^ up a practical motive for re- 
ligion, they have prospered ;\ 
but not at other times. The 
great Reformation under 
Luther grew out of his teach- 
ing the people that they needed 
V no longer to pay tribute to the 
Church of Rome in order to be 
saved ; but that they could be 
"saved by faith," — "simple 
^aith." To the man who had 
been spending all his earnings 
in purchasing indulgences 
from the priests of the Roman 
Church, this was a great reve- 
lation, and the new Protestant 
wing spread rapidly all over 
Northern Europe. 

Not only did Luther give 
men a reason for leaving the 
Roman Church, but he also 
drew within this new organi- 
zation hundreds of thousands 

18 



who had drifted away from 
the church altogether. He 
offered the people salvation by 
grace — simple grace — a salva- 
tion which heretofore they 
thought could be purchased 
only with gold. 

But it was only a short 
while — the next century — be- 
fore people became callous to 
this doctrine and needed an- 
other motive for rallying to 
the church, another motive for 
living right. At the psycho- 
logical moment came Calvin, 
John Knox and the other 
founders of sects which we 
have to-day, — Presbyterians, 
Methodists, Baptists, etc. In 
order to inject motive power 
into this new Protestantism, 
they went much further than 
did Luther. These men were 

19 



not content with telling the 
people how to be saved ; but in- 
sisted that, if not saved, they 
would be "eternally damned"! 
This was the beginning of 
the "hell-fire and brimstone" 
era which held its own until 
recently. Certainly, these 
leaders capitalized man's in- 
herent desire to avoid pain, 
not to mention utter destruc- 
tion! They preached not 
"right for right's sake;" they 
urged attendance at church 
from no sentimental reason, 
but rather to save one's soul from 
eternal damnation ! 

Moreover, a study of any of 
the great revivals which have 
taken place during the past 
centuries, will show every one 
of them to have been based 
on this same teaching of 

20 



reward and punishment. The 
great religious leaders of the 
churches have taught that 
right living will be rewarded, 
but that disobedience to the 
laws of God will be punished. 
The more insistent the preach- 
ers have been along these lines, 
the more successful they ap- 
parently have been. In direct 
proportion to the teaching of 
reward and punishment, have 
our present churches flourished 
since their humble beginnings. 
Furthermore, this applies to 
almost every religion and 
creed. 

This is especially true of 
New England churches and 
even those in our own city of 
Boston. I have the greatest 
respect for Boston preachers. 
I believe that they are much 

21 



more thoughtful and consist- 
ent than are the members of 
their congregations. Their 
methods should appeal to 
thoughtful men of intellect; 
but they make very little head- 
way. Their teaching is like a 
wonderfully perfect watch 
which lacks only a spring! 
The "spring" which their ser- 
mons lack is the "reward and 
punishment" feature. These 
preachers are trying to teach 
that we should do right for 
right's sake, which apparently 
is contrary to economic law 
and certainly to the lessons of 
history. 

Does not this criticism apply 
to-day to the most intelligent 
preachers throughout the land? 
Otherwise, why are the 
churches declining in power 

22 



and influence? Why has the\ 
Protestant Church absolutely j 
lost its hold on the masses?/ 
Why have so many churches 
of all creeds changed from 
being dynamic forces in the 
community to a condition 
wherein they simply exist, 
comparatively speaking, as 
social clubs for certain respect- 
able families ? 

Why the Church is 
Weak To-day 

To the sociologist the 
answer is very clear. The 
church to-day offers no motive 
which appeals to men and 
women. The "reward and 
punishment" doctrine has 
been dropped without giving 

23 



any other in its place. It looks 
as though the hard working 
preachers have temporarily 
forgotten their first lesson in 
economics and, as is shown by 
the growth statistics of all 
prominent denominations ex- 
cept two, are urging that man 
should do right "because it is 
right," which doctrine never has 
and never will rally a following. 

The great mass of Protestant 
and Hebrew churches are at 
present very inactive com- 
pared with former times, 
although they are doing much 
good in many ways. ('The most 
thoughtful and progressive 
y men of almost every commu- 
nity are no longer identified 
with church work ; while the 
working people absolutely dis- 
trust all churches.J The Sunday 

24 



services are poorly attended, 
the midweek prayer meeting 
is almost ignored, the Sunday- 
schools are not taken serious- 
ly, while preachers are so 
poorly paid that it is almost 
impossible to get a bright and 
self-respecting young man to 
consider entering the minis- 
try, unless he can depend upon 
inherited property. 

Of course, there are excep- 
tions in the cases of special 
churches which temporarily 
either have a strong man as a 
preacher or are galvanized by 
large gifts from certain mem- 
bers. (Church workers, how- . 
ever, tell me that city missions, ^^/^ 
settlement houses and soup 
kitchens are but artificial stim- 
ulants, good for only a limited 
time ; while the "Institutional" 

35 



church, which was once hailed 
as the solution of the problem, 
has signally failed in its pur- 
pose. The future of the 
churches depends not on these 
artificial efforts. Churches 
need neither buildings nor gifts 
in order to be powers in the 
community. They need a 
message, and — from what I 
learn — this message will be 
based upon the old and ever 
powerful fundamental eco- 
nomic theory of reward and 
punishment. 

I do not criticise preachers 
for placing the soft pedal on 
certain old theology. Civiliza- 
tion has outgrown such teach- 
ing in the same way that the 
masses had outgrown the pur- 
chasing of indulgences when 
Luther offered them another 

36 



doctrine more worth-while. 
Thus, is it not probably true 
that the present condition of 
the churches is due to this 
fact: viz, that "Heaven" as a 
reward and "Hell" as a punish- 
ment have been withdrawn, 
while no other suitable reward 
or punishment has been held 
up in place thereof ? More than 
this, until some suitable substitute 
has been found, the churches may 
continue to lie dormant. 

Therefore, it seems to me 
that the future of the churches 
probably depends upon find- 
ing some other reward to offer 
and some other punishment to 
hold up. Certainly, human 
nature is the same to-day as in 
the days of Calvin, Luther, 
Jesus, or the old Hebrew 
prophets; and man's natural 

27 



desire is still to seek real hap- 
piness and avoid disaster. 
Churches, like other organiza- 
tions, must work out their 
salvation along economic lines 
and rise or fall in power as they 
utilize or ignore these eco- 
nomic laws. 

Churches have an economic 
opportunity; for man has a 
spiritual side as well as a 
physical or intellectual. They 
are as necessary to an efficient 
community as the dispensary 
or school, and preachers are 
needed by the people even 
more than are physicians or 
college prof essors. Hence, not- 
withstanding all I have said, I 
am a great optimist as to the 
future of the churches. I be- 
lieve they are lying dormant 
to-day only preparatory to a 

28 



great social awakening in 
which they will lead. In fact, 
I believe that a religious re- 
vival is the greatest need of 
the world at this very hour. 

What the Church 
Will Preach 

As to what this new message 
of the churches may be, I will 
venture to state the opinion of 
my organization, based upon 
reports which it is daily re- 
ceiving from all parts of the 
world. First, let me say that we , 
heUeve\the only development which 
can possibly keep democracy afloat 
is a revival of religion.) Under the 
old system of centralized gov- 
ernment, conditions depended 
only upon the character of the v 
rulers and not upon the char- 



V 



acter of the masses. A govern- 
ment could once prosper what- 
ever the conditions of the 
churches, or even without any 
educational system for the 
people ; but to-day, with every 
man a voter and with all votes 
counting the same|the stability 
of the government depends not 
upon wealth nor armies, but 
upon the character of the elec- 
torate.) This electorate now 
includes almost every man, 
and may soon include the 
women as well. With the 
" initiative and referendum," 
the stability of nations de- 
pends even more directly upon 
the character and intelligence 
of the people as a whole. Be- 
/ fore the days of public schools, 
only a comparative few could 
read and those who could were 

30 



trained by the churches to read 
the best literature. To-day, 
however, everyone is able to 
read. 

The love of money on the 
part of both labor and capital, 
the enjoyment of special privi- 
leges, the effect of tariffs, >/ 
subsidies and position, the evil 
influence of banking interests, 
the growth of the department 
store, the decadence of the 
legal profession and the fact 
that all of us, good and bad, 
are judged by what we have, 
irrespective of how we got it 
and what we are doing with it, 
are undermining the very 
foundations of the republic."^ 
Furthermore, these are only a \ 
few of the things which are \ 
sure to bring ruin upon us un- | 

31 



1/ 



less we have a revival of 
religion. 

With these facts and past his- 
tory in mind, my organization 
hopes that before long the 
churches will break forth with 
some new message like this: 
viz, that(the survival of this re- 
public depends upon the immediate 
teaching in the homes and schools, 
of what is really worth-while, and 
that we must all have the spirit of 
Christ in our buying and selling, 
borrowing and loaning, employing 
and serving; that is, in all we do, 
say and think.) Let the churches 
again teach the value of family 
prayers and home training, and 
that scholars at school should 
be rigidly marked on the 
fundamentals of character, 
fining us parents for our chil- 
dren's shortcomings. Yes, the 

32 



churches will some day insist 
that unless the development of 
righteousness— in its practical 
interpretation — immediately 
becomes the fundamental pur- 
pose of home, school and 
college, this and other nations 
(depending upon the rule of 
the masses) will end in disaster 
and the clock of civilization be 
set back several centuries. 
Here's something practical to 
hold up as a punishment. ( As 
churches once grew by preach- 
ing that "the wages of sin is 
death," so they can again wax 
strong by holding before the ^ 
people the danger of a wrecked 
republic ruled by anarchism, 
socialism, I. W.W.ism, the regu- 
lation of everythingism, or by 
some other "ism !" ) 
But to counterbalance this 

33 



dismal message of warning, 
(appealing to man's desire to 
avoid disaster) there will be 
another message promising re- 
ward, f I believe that the 
churches will once more break 
.with the vested interests as 
^ they did under Luther, and 
again actively work for all 
truly economic, educational, 
legislative and co-operative 
movements to equalize oppor- 
tunity, — such legislation, for 
instance, as the enactment of 
revised inheritance laws tend- 
ing to eliminate legacies so 
large as to give the recipients 
more than they need, the 
money thus received from 
inheritance taxes being used 
for vocational continuation 
schools^ In addition to preach- 
ing disaster for failing to 

34 



develop righteousness, the 
churches will also show the 
people how much better con- 
ditions will be when operating 
on unselfish principles, conse- 
quently attracting through 
offers of reward those who 
will not be attracted by fear of 
disaster. 



35 



The 

Second 

Section 



i 




Another Point of View 

study of history since the 
days of Christ* shows 
that our ancestors were origi- 
nally vassals or slaves of the 
lord or duke in whose province 
they were born. Christianity, 
as distinct from their heathen 
religions, won the respect and 
loyalty of these people because 
it resulted in their throwing 
off serf dom/ In fact, the reason 
why the Roman and other na- 
tions so persecuted the Jews 
was not on account of their 



•A study of the Jewish CJhurch previous to Christ's 
time shows the same wonderful history and a synopsis 
thereof is here omitted only because of lack of space. 

39 



V 



theology, but because their 
churches elevated the people and 
r provided for them greater oppor- 
tunitiesJ^ In the early centuries 
the churches fought for the 
"underdog" and so long as they 
did, they prospered and gre^v 
mightily, notwithstanding 
poverty and persecution.^ 

In accordance with the law 
of action and reaction, these 
churches gradually became 
rich until, under Constantine, 
Christianity became the fash- 
ionable religion and the cross 
was no longer a sign for per- 
secution, but rather became an 
ornament of fashion. From 
that time, and for several cen- 
turies thereafter, the vital 
power of Christianity waned 
until it reached a very low ebb, 
just preceding the breaking up 

40 



OLDEN ^Oe UNDER 



Graphic History 

975 B.C. to 1900 A. D. 

The peaks represent periods of prosperity following 
religious revival. The low points represent periods of 
depression following a rich and self-satisfied church. 



of the feudal system. New- 
ton's law of Action and Reac- 
tion applies to church history 
as it does to industry and com- 
merce. This is shown by the 
accompanying chart. 

After our ancestors had cast 
off serfdom, the land still be- 
longed to the lord or duke who 
inherited it. It was many cen- 
turies after these ancestors 
ceased being vassals before 
they were allowed to own 
land. ( Discontent, arising from 
the feudal system, had been 
gradually growing as the in- 
fluence of Christianity had 
been waning, until about the 
time of the Reformation. 
What brought about the Ref- 
ormation? Secular history 
states that it was a revival of 
Christianity resulting from the 

41 



interest which certain churches 
took in aiding the masses to 
destroy the economic system 
of that day. 

In other \vords, as the Chris- 
tian churches of the early 
centuries got their start by 
interesting themselves in 
breaking up serfdom, so the 
Protestant wing was later 
greatly aided by the interest 
which a little band of fighting 
churches took in breaking up 
feudalism. On the other hand, 
just as the influence of the 
early church waned, after 
Christianity became popular 
through the power of Constan- 
tine, so the power of the later 
Protestant wing began to wane 
when it, in turn, became pros- 
perous and popular. 

The third great landmark in 

42 



church history of the past nine- 
teen centuries came Avhen the 
common people were granted 
the privilege of having educa- 
tion and the right to w^orship 
God as they desired. In this 
great movement for freedom 
of thought, certain churches 
were a prominent factor, and 
the influence of such churches 
increased greatly thereby. On 
the other hand, after this third 
step had been taken, these 
churches again began to rest 
upon their laurels, and conse- 
quently again declined in 
power and influence. 

The next movement came in 
the seventeenth century, when 
man reached his fourth step, 
namely, the acquiring of polit- 
ical freedom. In the early 
centuries, as above stated, serf- 

43 



dom was eliminated through 
the teachings of the early 
Christian churches ; then in the 
Middle Ages feudalism was 
broken up through the influ- 
ence of a certain group of 
churches when each family 
was given the opportunity to 
own land; next, the right to 
worship God and study as one 
pleased was secured through 
another group of churches, 
contrary to the wishes of the 
vested interests of that day; 
and finally, the churches ob- 
tained for the masses political 
freedom, or the right to rule. 
Moreover, a study of history 
shows that this last struggle, 
wherein the vested interests 
were stripped of their right to 
rule, was the most bitter of all, 
and again, it was the sacrifice 

44 



of a small body of fighting 
churches which, in their pov- 
erty and under the keenest 
persecution, brought this 
about. Thus, this ne\v group 
came to the forefront, and the 
churches of to-day owe much 
to these martyrs. Once again 
then the law of action and re- 
action was evident, for as these 
churches, like their prede- 
cessors, became prosperous, 
their interest in the masses 
waned and their power corre- 
spondingly declined. 

Hence, history shows plainly 
that when the churches have 
been sacrificing or fighting to 
bring about more equal oppor- 
tunity, the people have listened 
to their doctrine and have re- 
spected their leaders. Under 
these conditions, churches 

45 



have waxed strong and power- 
ful, hoAvever poor or perse- 
cuted they may have been. 
On the other hand, when 
churches have been prosperous 
and considered immediate per- 
sonal gain, and ceased fighting 
for the equalization of oppor- 
tunity, then their influence has 
been comparatively small, 
even though their members 
were rich and their creeds 
fashionable. 

It is true that these pages 
have treated only of the so- 
called " Christian " churches, 
including the great Protestant, 
Roman Catholic and Greek 
divisions; but, as heretofore 
suggested, the same laws ap- 
plied to the rise and fall of the 
Jewish church previous to the 
split of the first century. It 

46 



should, however, be remem- 
bered that civilization fails to 
recognize the great service 
which the Jews have rendered 
along the lines of social prog- 
ress both before and since this 
dissension in their ranks. I am 
also told, when travelling 
abroad, that the various other 
great religions of the world 
have a similar history, and the 
rise and fall of their churches, 
during the past centuries, has 
coincided absolutely with 
whether, for the time being, 
they have given the people 
something worth-while or 
whether the people have had 
to fight alone for their freedom 
and happiness. Hence, the 
great conflict of the future may 
not be between Protestants 
and Roman Catholics, as so 

47 



many pretend to fear, but may 
again be between Christians 
and Mohammedans or between 
the East and the West. More- 
over, such a conflict might 
unite these great wings of the 
Christian church — Roman, 
Greek and Protestant — even 
with the Hebrew or mother 
church itself. 

The Ouestion of To-day 

The world is now in the fifth 
era of the conflict. Serfdom 
has been abolished ; feudalism 
has been broken up; freedom 
of education and worship has 
been secured ; the right of the 
people to rule has been estab- 
lished; but still there is a great 
contrast between the opportu- 
nities of the children of the 

48 



rich and the children of the 
poor. 

Many opinions exist as to 
how this can be remedied, and, 
generally speaking, the think- 
ing people are divided into two 
groups : 

(1) The larger group includes 
those who are generous and 
anxious that all shall have a 
fair chance in life, but in their 
efforts ignore fundamental 
economic law such as the law 
of action and reaction, the law 
of supply and demand, the law 
of reward and punishment and 
other laws which might read- 
ily be mentioned. This first 
group is made up largely of 
the working classes, but in- 
cludes many others who style 
themselves "progressives" or 
" radicals." 

49 



(2) The smaller group — but 
often the more powerful — in- 
cludes those who have the 
proper notions about funda- 
mental economic law, and thus 
are opposed to government in- 
terference with enterprise, but 
who are determined to retain 
all the property which they 
now have and to bequeath 
fortunes to their children. This 
group is made up mostly of 
those who have inherited 
property, but includes all who 
style themselves " conserva- 
tives" or "capitalists." 

It seems to me that each of 
these tw^o great groups is right 
on one of the two important 
features of progress, and wrong 
on the other. For instance, I be- 
lieve that the working classes 
are justified in their desire for 

50 



further opportunities, but are 
wholly >vrong in their various 
legislative plans which so en- 
tirely ignore the fundamental 
laws of action and reaction, 
supply and demand, reward 
and punishment. Further, I 
believe that the capitalist 
group is right in its opposition 
to much of the legislation to- 
day, but is mistaken in its idea 
that property is sacred and 
should be given away or be- 
queathed by the owner to any 
one he desires. 

What Moses Taught 

Were there not four funda- 
mental principles underlying 
the Mosaic economy for which 
law all the churches in Amer- 
ica pretend to stand ? 

51 



(1) The land was originally 
distributed by lot, each family 
having the same opportunity so far 
as legislation could provide it. 

(2) After prescribing a few 
rules to the game (which rules 
applied to all alike, the weak 
and the strong), the funda- 
mental laws of nature, such as 
the laws of supply and demand, 
and reward and punishment, 
were allowed full sway for 
fifty years. 77^/5 encouraged per- 
sonal ambition and initiative. 

(3) At the end of fifty years, 
redistribution was provided, 
debts were cancelled and prop- 
erty that had been bought or 
sold reverted to its original 
owners. This prevented an aris- 
tocracy from growing up through 
inheritance. 

(4) The church was placed 

52 



on an economic basis and the 
people were made to pay for 
their religious privileges or go 
without them. 

In other words, Moses was 
apparently an exponent of the 
"laissez faire" doctrine for each 
individual, so far as it applied 
to his own efforts; but he 
prevented one generation from 
living on the fruits of a previ- 
ous generation except as all 
shared the benefits equally. 
Further than this, it is interest- 
ing to note that as the Jew^ish 
nation continued along these 
economic lines, it prospered; 
while whenever it departed 
therefrom and omitted the 
year of jubilee, it soon became 
the prey of some other nation. 

Of course, in our present 
state of civilization, it would 

53 



be impossible again to apply 
this jubilee year principle, al- 
though our bankruptcy laws 
are founded thereon; but the 
church can unite with the 
masses and fight to give them 
equal hygienic and educational 
advantages, and to break up 
aristocracy and abnormal 
power acquired through in- 
heritance. As I understand the 
masses, they do not object to 
how much any man honestly 
earns or object to inheritances 
for protection purposes, but they 
do strenuously object to 
wealth obtained through ma- 
nipulation, and inheritances 
which result in endowing fami- 
lies. 

I do not for one moment 
pretend that the purpose of 
the churches is to redistribute 

541 



property. Their purpose is 
rather to sho\v people hoAV to 
live, and to show them that 
happiness does not come from 
material things. On the other 
hand, it must be admitted that 
there are four sides to life : the 
physical, the intellectual, and 
the material, as well as the 
spiritual, and that true progress 
comes only through the simul- 
taneous development of all 
four. 

Just at the moment, many 
churches are doing splendid 
work along certain lines, but 
are they accomplishing much 
toward helping the masses 
either materially and spiritual- 
ly ? Yet, history plainly shows 
that for missionary move- 
ments to prosper, the people 
must simultaneously be helped 

55 



physically, mentally, material- 
ly and spiritually. Even Christ 
healed the sick, fed the five 
thousand and continually 
fought for the masses simulta- 
neously with preaching to 
them of what is worth-while 
in life. Therefore, history ap- 
parently suggests that the 
churches will again acquire 
power and influence only as 
they become factors in solving 
the problems of the day. 
Hence, I believe that the re- 
vived churches, or some new 
churches springing up, will 
take hold of the present and 
fifth great question; namely, 
the further equalization of op- 
portunity, so that, as far as 
possible, all shall have an 
equal chance in starting the 
race of life. Moreover, as the 

56 



churches remain the defenders 
of this chance, their influence 
will be great. 

A Question 

Why should churches hesi- 
tate in aiding the masses in 
their struggle? Their creeds 
demand that we should not 
love the world nor the things 
that are in the world. Do their 
members not profess to believe 
that he who loses his life is 
greater than he who gains it ? 
Do w^e not every Sunday even 
sing hymns of praise suggest- 
ing that we care not for food 
nor raiment, but only for the 
things eternal. I am not sar- 
castic, but serious. Every stu- 
dent who will carefully read 
the teachings of the churches 

57 



cannot help being impressed 
with one thing more than any 
other; namely, that money is 
of no account, and the only 
thing worth-while is service 
to others ! 

Of course, the hard working 
ministers still preach this doc- 
trine ; but they are unable to 
make converts because the 
world does not take them seri- 
ously so long as we church 
members hold so tightly to all 
we have got and are deter- 
mined that our children shall 
have and retain all that we 
leave! Speaking of children, 
do we not forget that the 
masses are more fond of their 
children than of anything else ? 
As a rule they are not jealous 
of the successful man who 
started on a level with them ; 

58 



but to have our children in- 
herit goodly sums of money 
and their children inherit noth- 
ing but liabilities, makes them 
bitter against us. Therefore it 
appears that the churches will 
again become a force in the 
community and convince men 
that money is not happiness 
and wealth is not success, only 
when they again seriously at- 
tempt to equalize opportunity 
and cease being a party to the 
mad race for money, show and 
pleasure. When we begin to 
seek things worth-while, then 
the world will take our pro- 
fessions more seriously, but 
not until then. : Hence, I be- 
lieve that the churches will 
prosper only when they back 
the masses in their movement 
for more equal opportunities. 

59 



Moreover, this will not only 
enable the churches to demand 
the attention of the world and 
once more lead people to the 
things Avorth- while ; but the 
reaction upon ourselves as in- 
dividuals may be beneficial; 
viz, 

(1) When a larger portion of our property 
descends to the state and then is redistrib- 
uted through educational and other forms 
to those who are worthy but unfortunate, 
which is what the masses are really seeking 
for to-day, we shall take a greater interest 
in state affairs and fulfill our duty as citizens. 

(2) When our children depend upon their 
own efforts to succeed, instead of what 
they inherit from us, then we will give 
much greater attention to training them — 
more time to our boys and girls and less 
time to business and pleasure. Certainly 
their own efforts will be greater. 

(3) When our wives can no longer de- 
pend upon the property which we leave, 
then will the women of the homes demand 
each year the proportion of our incomes to 
which they are entitled, or else we will 

60 



have them reasonably protected by life 
insurance or in some other practical eco- 
nomic way. 

(4) Only by giving young men a certain 
amount of property as well as votes (and, 
of course, neither should be given to a 
young man until he has completed a certain 
course of training) will the masses be made 
to be conservative or will the rights of 
property be recognized and protected. 

None of the most radical of 
the masses want any children 
to suffer, but rather to be de- 
pendent simply on their own 
resources, the same as are the 
children of the great majority. 
The masses to-day are not ask- 
ing us to divide with them our 
property, nor in any way neg- 
lect our wives or other worthy 
dependents, but simply that 
we arrange things so that, as 
far as possible, their children 
will have as fair a chance in 
the race of life as our children. 

61 



This means to me that the fifth 
great era will really not be a 
fight for socialism (which is 
purely impracticable and de- 
generating), but rather for the 
breaking up of aristocracy, 
power and wealth acquired 
through inheritance. In other 
words, I believe that the think- 
ing radicals of to-day are will- 
ing to let the "laissez faire" 
doctrine apply provided it 
shall apply to all as nearly as 
possible. They are beginning 
to realize that nothing is gain- 
" ed through the attempted arti- 
ficial regulation of wages, 
prices, rents or interest. If 
there is anything which the 
churches plainly profess and 
in practice ignore, it is con- 
cerning the accumulation of 
money, but will the churches 

62 



ever again become powerful 
until they are consistent on 
this point and at least aid the 
masses in eliminating unjust 
handicaps, and at the same 
time allow themselves more 
time and energy for gaining 
the things worth-while ? 

Charities 

The great mass of people to- 
day do not want charities. All 
they want is a "square deal" — 
as equal a chance as it is possi- 
ble for them to get, and a 
reasonable amount of health, 
faith, education and material 
welfare. Most charities insult 
instead of aid. No self-respect- 
ing man of the working classes, 
whom the churches are seek- 
ing to win, ever solicits you or 

63 



me for money. Most solicita- 
tions for charities come to us 
from our cliurch people them- 
selves for some pet work of 
their own or of their friends. 
Moreover, most of us give to 
these charities simply because 
we do not wish to offend these 
friends. We know that present 
attempts to distribute pros- 
perity through charities is like 
endeavoring to irrigate the 
Sahara Desert by carrying 
water in buckets. 

One thing more, and this I 
pass along simply as an opin- 
ion. Not only are our charities 
making only the faintest im- 
pression, but I believe if the 
churches would stop begging 
continually for money, even 
they would be much better 
off. Christ said, "go ye into 

64 



all the world and preach the 
gospel to every creature ;" but 
he never said " collect money 
and send others to do it for 
you." He constantly taught 
people to give, but I do not 
find a single word urging us 
to collect money of others or 
to run church fairs and suppers 
for spreading the gospel. 

The gospel on which the 
churches prosper demands di- 
rect personal service in the in- 
terests of others — not through 
paid agents — and only as 
we give this service by train- 
ing the children in our homes, 
by helping the employees in 
our business, by aiding neigh- 
bors on our street, and finally, 
uniting with the masses by 
working through schools and 
politics for laws to equalize 

65 



opportunity, can we hope again 
to command the respect of the 
world and interest mankind in 
the things worth-while. 

In other words, before the 
churches can make people be- 
lieve in their doctrine that "life 
is more than meat" and service 
more to be desired than gold, 
must we not, as their repre- 
sentatives, give up something 
of what we have and cease 
our continual chase for more? 



66 



The 

Third 

Section 



i 



i 



A Possibility 

Dotwithstanding the in- 
consistent attitude 
which the churches now take 
toward economic questions, I 
am very optimistic as to their 
future. Although the churches 
are now ridiculed by many 
thinking people and have utter- 
ly lost the confidence of the 
great mass of working people, 
nevertheless, I believe that 
their future is bright. At vari- 
ous other stages in the world's 
history, they have reached the 
low ebb which exists to-day. 
In fact, as stated, the history 

69 



of the churches has been a 
series of ups-and-downs, 
which, if plotted, would cor- 
respond very closely to the 
great swings in financial, com- 
mercial and social develop- 
ment. 

Its fluctuations are not short, 
extending over only two or 
three years as do the fluctua- 
tions of the Babson Composite 
Plot. There are fluctuations 
in the church which corre- 
spond to the great movements 
extending over periods of 
twenty or more years. The 
great swings in church activity 
and recession are over much 
longer periods and closely 
allied to the great forward 
movements in civilization, as 
explained in a previous chap- 
ter. More than this, these long 

TO 



swings have followed eco- 
nomic rather than theological 
lines. When the churches have 
interested themselves in the 
equalization of opportunity, 
they have prospered; but when 
they have not been so interest- 
ed, they have declined. Hence 
I repeat that the economic in- 
terpretations of history com- 
bined with the careful study 
of church progress convinces 
me that the next church move- 
ment will be along distinctly 
economic lines, especially re- 
lating to the acquiring, use 
and bequeathing of personal 
property. 

Of course there are many 
who claim that Christianity 
demands the institution of 
state socialism, and many feel 
that it can be practiced only 

71 



\i 



through communism or col- 
lectivism; but I am sure that 
it does not call for anything 
of the kind. Although Chris- 
tianity demands that our every 
deed, word and thought should 
be in the interests of the com- 
munity as a whole and not for 
our exclusive benefit, yet a 
study of Christ's teachings 
shows most clearly that he 
stood for individual responsi- 
bility and apparently had little 
hope of solving the world's 
problems through legislation 
or the enforcement of law. 

Christ's idea apparently was 
that when men should develop 
the right spirit with the pas- 
sionate desire to serve the 
community to the best of 
one's ability, proper legislation 
would ultimately develop and 

72 



be readily enforced ; but until 
such time, stringent legislation 
would be of little effect. The 
history of the Jewish nation 
during the centuries preceding 
the coming of Christ was to 
him absolute proof that unless 
men have the spirit of service, 
the most elaborate legislative 
program is of no avail. There- 
fore I am convinced that state 
socialism or any other en- 
forced social program is im- 
practicable, while all attempts 
at the artificial regulation of 
wages, interest, rents and 
prices are doomed to failure. 

One Suggestion 

But is there not a happy 
medium between what the 
socialists would like to do and 

73 



the distinctly reactionary atti- 
tude which the church assumes 
to-day ? As a matter of inter- 
est I will explain this without 
comment one way or the other. 

Instead of the followers of 
churches holding property in 
common, turning over their 
actual profits for the benefit of 
the community as did those of 
the early church, there may be 
a mutual turning in of infor- 
mation, facts and other per- 
sonal records of earnings and 
expenditures. There may be 
no secrets among such persons, 
but each may know the re- 
ceipts, expenses and the actual 
property holdings of all others. 

Personally, the writer be- 
lieves that mth religion, edu- 
cation and just inheritance 
laws, publicity is the only re- 

74 



maining motive power which 
can be used to solve our na- 
tion's problems. To clean the 
banking system, the publicity 
of bank loans may be a neces- 
sity ; to eliminate the trust evil, 
the publicity of profits, con- 
tracts and all other details of 
large corporations may be 
inevitable ; to solve the wage 
problem, the posting of wages 
and earnings may come ; while 
taxation will probably be just- 
ly assessed only when the 
personal business of every citi- 
zen is public property. In 
other words, the writer looks 
upon publicity as a very im- 
portant cure for the hundreds 
of evils which beset this and 
other nations, although such 
publicity must be coupled with 
the development of religion 

75 J 



and education. Hence, to the 
hundreds of societies and or- 
ganizations existing for various 
kinds of welfare and other 
work, it may be said that the 
best opportunity for the fur- 
thering of any of these causes 
comes only through publicity 
legislation. 

If the day is coming when a 
requirement of church mem- 
bership will demand that each 
member turn in a list of all his 
property, the sources of his 
income together with his ex- 
penditures, such a movement 
should cement the members 
together with the loyalty and 
brotherly interest impossible 
in any other way. One effect 
of such a plan should be the 
elimination of unfair competi- 
tion among church people. 

76 



Competition is not only natu- 
ral but useful in the develop- 
ment of civilization, but unfair 
competition is both wasteful 
and wrong, economically and 
morally. The only assurance 
that one person will give 
another a square deal will 
probably come through the 
insistence that the profits, 
losses and other so-called per- 
sonal business of each is the 
common knowledge of all. 
Many of the present misunder- 
standings between men would 
then soon be eliminated. At 
any rate, publicity is the first 
step in the elimination of such 
misunderstandings. 

The payment of proper 
wages to employees may be 
worked out along some such 
line as this, rather than through 

77 



so-called minimum wage legis- 
lation, which later is bound to 
react either in throwing many 
out of employment or in 
raising prices. When the 
wages paid and received by 
the churchmen of any com- 
munity are recorded and 
posted for the benefit of the 
entire membership (which 
membership would include 
both employers and em- 
ployees) together with a state- 
ment as to the employer's 
profits, the very troublesome 
labor question might rapidly 
solve itself in such a com- 
munity. When the churchmen 
who operate stores mark their 
goods with the cost prices as 
well as the selling prices, 
people will begin to take 
notice. 

78 



No workman ever begrudg- 
ed a real producer like Thomas 
A. Edison the profits of his 
labor even though those profits 
should run into the millions; 
but the man who is becoming 
wealthy through the exploita- 
tion of labor naturally is sub- 
ject to suspicion. Therefore, 
perhaps the only way that 
employers in general and labor 
in general can come together 
is for each to put its cards on 
the table and let them be seen 
by the other. Labor, of course, 
is now compelled to do it, and 
the next step is for the em- 
ployer to do likewise. Perhaps 
the churches will lead in such 
a radical movement. 

Such a system of mutual in- 
terchange of information 
among fellow church members 

79 



would, of course, at once solve 
the problems of financing the 
churches and their allied or- 
ganizations. When each mem- 
ber turns in a list of his property 
holdings and income, it will be 
necessary only for each church 
to decide on the budget which 
it needs and make an assess- 
ment as do the tax authorities 
in the most progressive states. 
In this case, each member 
would pay the same propor- 
tion, and any reasonable 
amount could be raised quickly 
and in a dignified manner. 
This would mean that preach- 
ers could be paid a living wage, 
thus attracting stronger men 
into the ministry ; that the Sun- 
day School could be made 
efficient through the employ- 
ment of experienced teachers 

80 



and that the churches could 
become a real factor in the 
social development of the com- 
munity through the employ- 
ment of experts along desired 
lines. 

Some feel that if this step is 
ever taken it would result 
in church people pooling their 
welfare work and using the 
church as a clearing house for 
all worth-while objects. Of 
course, this would immediate- 
ly put the churches in a most 
important economic position, 
enabling them to command 
the respect of all organizations. 
Perhaps this is the solution of 
such problems as relate to 
temperance, model tenements, 
industrial education, public 
hygiene, vocational guidance, 
supervised playgrounds and 

81 



many of the other splendid 
works which are now only 
feebly developed. Certainly, 
if after pooling our gifts, we 
should likewise pool our votes, 
the churches would surely im- 
mediately regain their place in 
the community. When one 
realizes that organized labor 
has obtained its tremendous 
power in legislation through a 
combination of less than 5% of 
the people, the tremendous 
force which the churches will 
some day exercise in the de- 
mocracy, through the pooling 
of interests, readily becomes 
apparent. 

There are, of course, hun- 
dreds of good things which the 
churches should do which they 
are not doing. Almost every 
thinking man has a different 

82 



solution and a new suggestion. 
With nearly all of these the 
writer agrees in the broad 
sense. The question arises, 
however, whether most sug- 
gestions are not results and 
effects rather than funda- 
mentals. With the right 
motive coupled with knowl- 
edge, every question rapidly 
solves itself. Therefore, does 
not the future of the churches 
depend on the development of 
the right motive — that is, the ]^,.^ 
spirit of Christ and a more real 
knowledge of actual condi- 
tions, which can come only 
through the adoption of mutual 
publicity as above outlined? 

For this reason, although I 
have the greatest respect for 
the many good works which 
various societies and people 

83 



S" 



/ 



are endeavoring to do in order 
to revive the influence of the 
churches, yet I do feel that 
some day the church people of 
every community may act to- 
gether and frankly acknowl- 
edge one another as brothers, 
each laying his cards face up 
on the table, thus giving a 
complete knowledge of his 
property holdings, income, ex- 
penses, wages and savings ; and 
saying to the others, "Now 
what shall I do?" Only as 
each of us so gets this spirit 
and frankly shows his position 
and honestly asks, " What shall 
I do?" will we ever do any- 
thing really worth-while. 



84 



Conclusion 

Briefly, the churches will 
not regain their power in the 
community until their follow- 
ers cease being so indifferent 
and inconsistent. To those of 
us who are members and act- 
ively interested in some church 
does not this mean : — 

First, that we should select 
our profession, business or 
daily work with the sole ob- 
ject of rendering service. We 
should engage in the occupa- 
tion wherein we can render 
the most service to the com- 
munity rather than that which 
will enable us to get the most 
from the community. We 
should consider our wages and 
profits wholly secondary. If 
we are rendering a real service 

85 



to the community, we should 
trust God to see that we are 
rewarded. Of course, we may 
not have so much to spend on 
luxuries as our neighbors who 
are striving to make money, 
but what of it ? The downfall 
of nearly every great nation 
has been due to confusing 
luxury with happiness. We 
should expect to sacrifice and 
to love not the things of the 
world, — self-indulgence, fash- 
ion and wasteful things or 
habits. So long as our wages 
enable us to live decently, 
should we not be satisfied, re- 
membering the conclusion of 
the Ten Commandments, viz : 
" Thou Shalt Not Covet." 

Next, in buying and selling, 
we will some day give up our 
present inconsistent practices. 

86 



If we are sure that the ultimate 
good will be the same, we are 
justified in buying of the one 
from whom we can get the 
lowest price and in selling to 
whom we can get the highest 
price ; but if we are not sure of 
this, should we always so 
purchase ? To the price which 
we pay for food, clothing, etc., 
we usually give altogether too 
much importance. If by pur- 
chasing goods of some one 
man, our money will be better 
used or we shall be encourag- 
ing better conditions of labor 
than if we purchased of an- 
other, shall we some day 
believe that duty demands that 
we purchase of the first man, 
irrespective of the difference in 
price ? Our reason for fearing 
that we would not be properly 

87 



rewarded for doing right our- 
selves, may be because we 
know tliat we seldon^ reward 
others for their right en- 
deavors. When we take our 
religion seriously, we will 
apply its fundamentals to our 
daily work, our buying, sell- 
ing, loaning, borrowing and 
giving. It is entirely possible 
to sell at a profit without buy- 
ing in the lowest market and 
selling in the highest irrespec- 
tive of how or by whom our 
money or lands are to be used. 
I suppose we are most in- 
consistent when investing our 
money. Our religion teaches 
very plainly that the rate of 
interest which we receive 
should be a consideration en- 
tirely secondary to the good 
which our money is to do ; in 

88 



fact, the literal teaching would 
seem to forbid the acceptance 
of interest. The time is com- 
ing when we will not consider 
chiefly the interest which our 
investments yield for a given 
security, but whether the 
money is to be used to sewer 
a city or to build a fashionable 
apartment house in New York. 
Some day we may be willing 
to risk our money to sewer a 
Central American city rather 
than buy the average invest- 
ment offered. 

As employers of labor and 
as employees, we have a great 
opportunity. The great indus- 
trial struggle of to-day will 
never be settled through 
strikes, arbitration or any other 
artificial means. The solution 
rests with those of us who 

89 



profess to have a religion and 
practice it, whether represent- 
ing capital or labor. If we are 
employers, we will consider 
our employees as a family and 
fight for them and work for 
their success as we would for 
the success of our immediate 
family. Our greatest pride will 
be to pay them continually 
more and more, — certainly 
more than men who make no 
religious pretention pay for 
similar services. On the other 
hand, if we are employees, we 
will strive to render better 
service and let the fruits of our 
religion boldly appear in our 
work. This is the way the in- 
fluence of the churches will 
be extended ; in fact, it is the 
only way it ever has been 
spread in the past. It is the 

90 



great practical step along edu- 
cational and economic lines in 
which religious people have so 
often led, that has given the 
church its influence in the past. 
When our forefathers have 
sacrificed their properties and 
even their lives to bring about 
better conditions, the church 
has prospered ; but when their 
children have become lax and 
less active, the influence of the 
church has waned. 

The indifference of the aver- 
age Protestant Church toward 
national, state and municipal 
affairs will not continue much 
longer. We will close up our 
little pet charities and devote 
such time and money toward 
public improvements and bet- 
tering political conditions. We 
complain about graft and the 

91 



waste of public funds, but is 
this not largely due to our in- 
difference ? When we devote 
to bettering political condi- 
tions such time and money as 
we now^ give to societies, 
charities and other outside or- 
ganizations, there will soon be 
a great improvement in 
government. 

There is no short cut to 
prosperity. It will come only 
through the slow process of 
education. Moreover, this will 
be supplied to the coming vo- 
ters of our nation through the I 
public school system. Hence, 
I believe that the best mission- * 
ary work which we to-day 
can possibly do is through our 
public schools. Here is the 
greatest opportunity for real 
good and to which we should 

92 



devote all our spare efforts in- 
stead of bothering Avith a score 
of other things, all of which 
are worthy in their way ; but 
none of w^hich will accom- 
plish much until the people 
are convinced of the need of 
a change and, when so con- 
vinced, ^vill themselves bring 
the change about. With pres- 
ent methods of representation, 
the voters of this country are 
now able to raise funds for 
any improvements or reforms 
which they are convinced are 
worth-while. Therefore, it 
seems to me that all our efforts 
should be devoted to develop- 
ing a really worth-while edu- 
cational system which alone 
will create a truly happy and 
efficient people. The purpose 
of the churches is to make 

93 



people truly happy, but must 
not this be worked out through 
our school systems ? 

What does this mean ? First, 
it necessitates the teaching of 
a simple, homely religion of 
the fatherhood of God and the 
brotherhood of man. For 
teaching this the best charac- 
ters should bej employed, irre- 
spective of church or creed, 
men and women whom the 
entire community love and 
respect. Moreover, not until 
persons of such character are 
in demand and paid highly for 
their services, will'such teach- 
ing be respected. This has 
been the history of art, music 
and literature. Spirituality can 
be developed only in the same 
way, according to the same 
economic laws. These per- 

94 



sons should be allowed to teach 
no creed ; in fact, they would 
be too wise to attempt it. 
They should teach by example 
and precept how to be happy. 
Happiness comes through 
health, knowledge, faith and a 
reasonable amount of prosper- 
ity. In connection with the 
study of health, young people 
must be taught how to keep 
well, and all methods of mu- 
nicipal sanitation. With this 
study should be combined jus- 
tice, courtesy, hopefulness and 
personal relationship with 
others. When studying ma- 
terial prosperity, our young 
people should be taught the 
fundamentals to which I have 
above referred; namely, that 
true success comes only 
throu gh service. Hence, each 



boy should select some one 
thing, however insignificant 
in itself, and resolve to do this 
better than anyone else. This, 
however, requires a knowl- 
edge of economics, which 
every citizen should have. 
The present system, leaving 
economics to the college 
course so that its laws are 
known only by those w^ho are 
to become employers, is ex- 
ceedingly unjust to labor and 
consumers in general. 

Probably giving the masses 
such an education would in- 
evitably result in a gradual 
redistribution of property. 
Although property does 'not 
mean happiness, yet for any 
nation to be happy there must 
be a much more equal distribu- 

96 



tion of property than is now 
witnessed. Tliis great gap 
will, however, constantly be 
reduced in size, and manual la- 
bor will gradually be rewarded 
more. I even believe that the 
church will some day encour- 
age the masses in their at- 
tempts to become factors in 
the management of industries. 
However, the discussion of 
this must be left to another 
book in this series, viz : The 
Future of Corporations. This 
present book is devoted to the 
future of the churches, which 
future to me is bright. In fact, 
my closing word is to urge all 
readers to unite actively in the 
work of some church, and with 
this new vision become a real 
factor in equalizing opportu- 

97 



nity through the new develop- 
ment of religion, education, 
publicity and co-operation by 
means of the public schools. 



98 



APPENDIX 



Outline of Church History 
975 B.C. to 1900 A. D. 

To accompany Chart between pages 40 and 41. 



975 B. C— Death of Solomon. 

Revolt of the Ten Tribes. 
716-712 B. C— Romulus reputed murdered. 

Sennacharib invades Judah. 
664 B. C— First sea-fight on record. 
588-578 B. C— Captivity of Judah completed 

and Jerusalem destroyed. 

Servius Tullius, King of Rome. Money 

coined. 
567-565 B. C— Conquest of the Etrurians. 

First Census of Rome. 
509-507 B. C— Brutus and CoUatinus first 

Consuls. 

The capitol finished. 
456-451 B. C— Cincinnatus, Dictator. 

Laws of the twelve tables. 
413-411 B. C— Egypt regains independence. 

Roman famine. 
390-376 B. C— Rome destroyed by the 

Gauls. 

War between patricians and plebians. 
337 B. C. — First plebian praetor. 

99 



286 B. C— Law of Hortensius, by which 

the decrees of the people had the force 

of those of the senate. 
266 B. C. — Rome mistress of all Italy. 
204-202 B. C— Scipio carries the war into 

Africa with great applause. 
181 B. C— Plague at Rome. 
133 B. C— Spain becomes a Roman prov- 
ince. 
104-91 B. C— Teutons defeat 80,000 Romans 

on the banks of the Rhone. 

Birth of Julius Caesar. 

Social War in Italy. 
55-30 B. C— Caesar passes the Rhine, de- 
feats the Germans and Gauls, and 

invades Britain. 

Civil War between Caesar and Pompey. 

Pompey defeated. 

Caesar, Dictator. 

Caesar takes Alexandria and conquers 

Egypt. 

Republic of Rome becomes a mon* 

archy. 

54 A. D.— Nero, Emperor. 

60 A. D.— Paul imprisoned in Rome. 

77 A. D.— A great plague at Rome, 10,000 
dying in one day. 

117 A. D.— Great persecution of the Chris- 
tians. 
Hadrian, Emperor. 

100 



193 A. D.— Septimus Severus, Emperor. A 

vigorous ruler but persecutes the 

Christians. 
270-272 A. D.— Aurelian becomes Emperor. 

Great persecution of Christians. 
306 A. D.— Constantine the Great, Emperor. 

Persecution of Christians stopped. 
475 A. D. — OHgarchy of the bishops of 

Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, 

Antioch, and Jerusalem. 

The Church now begins to assume a 

political aspect. 
502-511 A. D.— Invasions by the Persians. 

Great insurrection in Constantinople. 
558 A. D.— A plague extends over Europe 

and Asia and lasts about 50 years. 
600 A. D.— Introduction of Christianity into 

Britain and throughout Europe. 
650 A. D.— The Christian Church very use* 

f ul and influential in all matters. 
755 A. D.— Beginning of the Pope's tempo- 
ral power. 
800 A. D. — A period of great prosperity. 
840 A. D. — Feudal system at its height. 
841-858 A. D.— Hereditary nobility and the 

clergy dominant in matters of state. 

Alfred the Great born. 

Nicholas I first Pope to be crowned. 
890 A. D.— Oxford University founded by 

Alfred the Great. 

Trial by Jury instituted. 
101 



912-915 A. D.— The NormaM in France 
embrace Christianity. 
University of Cambridge founded. 

940-955 A. D.— Mints established in Eng- 
land. 

Baptism of Olga, and conversion of 
Russia to Christianity. 

999 A. D.— Hungary becomes a fief of the 
Church. 

1059 A. D.— Quarrel between the Popes and 
the German Emperors. 

1096 A. D.— Peter the Hermit preaches 
against the Turks. 
The First Crusade. 

1100 A. D.— Study of theology receives 
new impulse. 

1150 A. D. — Another period of great pros- 
perity. 

1198 A. D.— Power of the Pope Supreme in 
temporal matters. 

1265 A. D.— Dominion of Italy passes to the 
Pope, who greatly abuses his power. 

1303-1309 A. D.— Papal power broken. 
Seat of the Popes transferred to 
Avignon. 

1416 A. D.— Huss burned for heresy. Re- 
vival of real Christianity. 

1434 A. D. — Invention of printing at May- 
ence. 

1450 A. D. — Flourishing period of trade in 
Western Europe. 
102 



1493 A. D.— Era of discovery in the New 

World. (Columbus.) 
1502-1517 A. D.— St. Peter's and other great 

churches built. 

Beginning of the Reformation. 
1530 A. D.— Luther at his height. 
1551-1558 A. D. — Treaty of Passau secures 

religious liberty to the Protestants in 

Germany. 

Elizabeth, Queen. Rise of the Puritans. 
1588 A. D.— First newspaper in England. 

Defeat of the Spanish Armada. 
1592 A. D.— The Rialto and Piazza di San 

Marco built at Venice. 
1620 A. D. — Pilgrims sail in Mayflower. 
1649 A. D. — England under Cromwell. 
1692-1693 A. D.— First opera house opened. 

Bank of England founded. 
1697 A. D.— General peace throughout the 

world. 
1703 A. D.— Flourishing period of French 

literature. 
1783 A. D. — Independence of the United 

States acknowledged. 
1789 A. D. — French Revolution begins. 
1797 A. D.— Swiss Revolution. 

1813 A. D. — War of German independence. 

1814 A. D.— Fall of Napoleon. 

1846 A. D. — Repeal of the English corn 

laws. 
1900 A. D.— The democratic spirit at its 

height. 

103 



Finis 



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